SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURELY PERFORMING MULTIPLE STAGE EMAIL PROCESSING WITH EMBEDDED CODES

• US 20090240774A1
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iconix Incorporated (Matthews Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Iconix Incorporated (Matthews Group LLC)
• Inventors: Hopple, John, Sachtjen, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A system and method for performing email processing at multiple stages along an email delivery chain. A first embodiment uses an email filter to receive information about an email message from a message transfer agent and then perform limited email pre-processing on the email message. The email filter then stores instructions and data such as the results from the email pre-processing into an internet email header added to the email message. The instructions and data placed into the email header may be encrypted for privacy and security. A later email program may extract the instructions and data from the internet email header and continue the email processing. One disclosed application of the multi-stage email processing system is email authentication.

Claims

1. A multi-stage method of processing email messages, said method comprising:

receiving in a mail processing application, a set of information about an email message from a mail transfer agent;

performing at least one processing step on said email message, said processing step generating instructions and data for a later stage mail program to process;

adding a new email message component to said email message, said new email message component comprising said instructions and data for said later stage mail program to process; and

returning said email message to said mail transfer agent.

2. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1 wherein said email message component comprises a new email message header.

3. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1 wherein said instructions and data comprise one of a group consisting of JavaScript Object Notation, XML, or a keyword and a value pair.

4. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1 wherein said instructions and data comprise information on how to display said email message in an email client.

5. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1 wherein said new email message component is encrypted.

6. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1 wherein said performing at least one email processing step on said email message comprises contacting an email analysis server program to obtain information.

7. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

performing an additional email processing step with a mail delivery server.

8. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

performing an additional email processing step with a mail client program.

9. The multi-stage method of processing email messages as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

reporting an email event to an email analysis server program from a mail client program.

10. A computer-readable medium, said computer-readable medium comprising a set of computer instructions for processing email messages, said computer instructions implementing:

receiving in a mail processing application, a set of information about an email message from a mail transfer agent;

performing at least one email processing step on said email message, said email processing step generating instructions and data for a later stage mail program to process;

adding a new email message component to said email message, said new email message component comprising said instructions and data for said later stage mail program to process; and

returning said email message to said mail transfer agent.

11. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said new email message component comprises an email message header.

12. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said instructions and data comprise one of a group consisting of JavaScript Object Notation, XML, or a keyword and a value pair.

13. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said instructions and data comprise information on how to display said email message in an email client.

14. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said new message component is encrypted.

15. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein performing at least one email processing step on said email message comprises contacting an email analysis server program to obtain information.

16. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said computer instructions further perform:

performing an additional email processing step with a mail delivery server.

17. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said computer instructions further perform:

performing an additional email processing step with a mail client program.

18. The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said computer instructions further perform:

reporting an email event to an email analysis server program from a mail client program.

19. A system processing email messages at multiple different stages, said system comprising:

a first mail transfer agent, said first mail transfer agent receiving an email message;

a first email processing system, said first email processing system receiving a set of information about said email message from said mail transfer agent, said first email processing system performing at least one processing step on said email message, said first email processing system adding to said email message a new email message component comprising a set of instructions and data resulting from said at least one processing step; and

a second email processing system located in a subsequent computer system along a transit path of said email message, said second email processing system performing additional processing on said email message after extracting said set of instructions and data from said email message.

20. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said email message component comprises a new email message header.

21. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said instructions and data comprise one of a group consisting of JavaScript Object Notation, XML, or a keyword and a value pair.

22. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said instructions and data comprise information on how to display said email message in an email client.

23. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said new email message component is encrypted.

24. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said second email processing system comprises a mail delivery server.

25. The system processing email messages as set forth in claim 19 wherein said second email processing system comprises a mail client program.